Inklingo
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abogado

/ah-boh-GAH-doh/

lawyer

A person wearing a formal suit standing near a desk, holding the balanced scales of justice.

An abogado (lawyer) is a legal professional often associated with the scales of justice.

abogado(Noun)

mA2

lawyer

?

general legal professional

,

attorney

?

more formal, common in US English

Also:

barrister

?

UK English, a lawyer who argues in court

,

solicitor

?

UK English, a lawyer who advises clients

📝 In Action

Mi hermano es abogado y trabaja en un bufete grande.

A2

My brother is a lawyer and works at a big firm.

Necesito contratar a un buen abogado para mi caso.

B1

I need to hire a good lawyer for my case.

El abogado defensor presentó nuevas pruebas en el juicio.

B2

The defense attorney presented new evidence at the trial.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • letrado (counsel, jurist)
  • jurista (jurist)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • abogado defensor – defense attorney
  • bufete de abogados – law firm
  • abogado del estado – state attorney

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser el abogado del diablo – To argue against something just for the sake of debate, not because you actually believe it.

💡 Grammar Points

Gender in Professions

The word 'abogado' refers to a male lawyer. To talk about a female lawyer, you use the related word 'abogada'. The ending often changes to match the gender of the person.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Articles with Professions

Mistake: "Soy un abogado."

Correction: Soy abogado. When you say what you do for a living using the verb 'ser' (to be), you usually don't need to add 'un' or 'una' (a/an) before the profession.

⭐ Usage Tips

Formal Address

In many Spanish-speaking countries, it's common and respectful to address a lawyer as 'Licenciado' (or 'Licenciada' for a woman). It's a title for someone with a university degree and is often used for lawyers.

A cheerful person standing on a box, raising a fist enthusiastically to show strong support for a cause.

When someone is an abogado (advocate), they are a vocal supporter of a particular cause or idea.

abogado(Noun)

mB2

advocate

?

a supporter of a cause

Also:

defender

?

one who protects or supports

,

proponent

?

one who argues in favor of something

📝 In Action

Él es un gran abogado de los derechos de los animales.

B2

He is a great advocate for animal rights.

Se convirtió en el abogado de los más desfavorecidos.

C1

He became the defender of the most disadvantaged.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • defensor (defender)
  • partidario (supporter)

Antonyms

  • oponente (opponent)
  • crítico (critic)

Common Collocations

  • abogado de una causa – advocate of a cause

⭐ Usage Tips

Figurative Meaning

This meaning extends the idea of 'defending someone in court' to 'defending a cause or a group of people'. It's more poetic and formal than the legal meaning.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: abogado

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'abogado' in its more figurative sense, meaning 'advocate' or 'supporter'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

abogada(female lawyer) - noun
abogacía(legal profession) - noun
abogar(to advocate, to plead) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'abogado' and 'licenciado'?

While 'abogado' specifically means lawyer, 'licenciado' is a general title for anyone with a university degree. However, in many Latin American countries, it's a very common and respectful way to address a lawyer, similar to using 'Esquire' in English.

If 'abogado' is for a man, how do I talk about a female lawyer?

You use the feminine form, 'abogada'. Spanish often changes the ending of nouns for professions to match the gender of the person.